Russian Scientist to Face Treason Trial over Hypersonic Missile

Anatoly Maslov, a 76-year-old scientist specializing in hypersonics, is set to go on trial for treason next week. Maslov and two colleagues from the Khristianovich Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (ITAM) were arrested on suspicion of treason over the past year. The case, which is marked as “top secret”, involves accusations of betraying secrets to China. Maslov is accused of handing secrets to China, while fellow suspect Alexander Shiplyuk, the director of ITAM, is suspected of passing secrets to China at a conference there in 2017. The case will be closed to the media and public. Maslov’s custody was extended until November 10 in a closed hearing on Wednesday. Colleagues of the suspects published an open letter in their defense, warning that the prosecutions threaten to damage Russian science. Last month, the Russian parliament voted to increase the maximum penalty for treason to life imprisonment, up from 20 years.